Harry Potter, #7

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

by J.K. Rowling

Genre

Fantasy, Young Adult, Children's

Pages

701

Contents

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

Previous: CHAPTER THIRDTY-ONE Next: CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

Overview

Amid chaotic battle and Fred’s death, Harry, Ron, and Hermione push toward Voldemort’s location to destroy Nagini. They learn Voldemort waits in the Shrieking Shack and values the Elder Wand above all.

Voldemort concludes Snape blocks the wand’s allegiance and orders Nagini to kill him. Harry collects Snape’s dying memories, setting up crucial revelations.

Summary

Shocked by Fred Weasley’s death, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Percy come under renewed fire. They move Fred’s body to safety as giant spiders scale the castle. Percy charges after Rookwood while the trio press on, torn between vengeance and their mission to kill Nagini.

Harry looks into Voldemort’s mind and sees him in the Shrieking Shack with Nagini contained in a protective, starry sphere. Voldemort sends Lucius Malfoy for Snape, confident Harry will come to him. The trio are attacked by Death Eaters but escape, traversing corridors where students and teachers duel Death Eaters as Peeves, McGonagall, and others fight back.

In the Entrance Hall melee, Hermione blasts Fenrir Greyback off Lavender Brown and Trelawney hurls crystal balls. Spiders surge inside; Hagrid rushes to protect them and is carried off. Outside, giants clash as Grawp engages a larger foe. Dementors descend, nearly overwhelming the trio until Luna, Ernie, and Seamus arrive and help them produce Patronuses, driving the Dementors away.

Dodging another giant, the trio race to the Whomping Willow. Ron disables the tree, and they crawl the tunnel to the Shrieking Shack. Cloaked, Harry spies Nagini’s floating cage and Voldemort confronting Snape about the Elder Wand’s poor performance.

Voldemort reasons the Elder Wand’s allegiance rests with Dumbledore’s killer and decides Snape must die. He traps Snape with Nagini’s cage and orders the snake to strike. As Voldemort departs with Nagini, Harry reveals himself to the dying Snape, collects Snape’s silvery memories in a flask at Snape’s insistence, and watches Snape die after asking Harry to look at him.

Who Appears

Harry Potter

Determined to reach Voldemort and kill Nagini; witnesses Snape’s murder and collects his dying memories.
Hermione Granger

Keeps the mission on track; deploys spells to escape Death Eaters; drives off Greyback; helps capture Snape’s memories.
Ron Weasley

Grief-stricken over Fred; fights on; disables the Whomping Willow to access the Shrieking Shack.
Lord Voldemort

Waits in the Shrieking Shack with Nagini; seeks Elder Wand mastery; orders Nagini to kill Snape.
Severus Snape

Summoned by Voldemort; fatally attacked by Nagini; gives Harry his memories before dying.
Nagini

Enchanted within a protective sphere; kills Snape on Voldemort’s command.
Percy Weasley

Grieves over Fred and charges after Rookwood amid the battle.
Fred Weasley

Recently killed in the battle; his death shocks and motivates the trio.
Lucius Malfoy

Battered and desperate for news of Draco; sent to fetch Snape by Voldemort.
Draco Malfoy

Pleads with Death Eaters; unknowingly saved by the trio during the chaos.
Hagrid

Attempts to protect the spiders; seized and carried off by them.
Grawp

Engages a larger giant, diverting destruction near the castle.
Luna Lovegood

Arrives with Ernie and Seamus; helps repel Dementors with Patronuses.
Ernie Macmillan

Casts a Patronus to drive back Dementors and aid the trio.
Seamus Finnigan

Joins Luna and Ernie in driving off Dementors with Patronuses.
Fenrir Greyback

Attacks Lavender Brown; blasted away by Hermione and struck by Trelawney’s crystal ball.
Professor McGonagall

Leads defenses within the castle, directing animated desks to charge.
Sybill Trelawney

Hurls crystal balls from the balcony, knocking out Greyback and aiding defenders.